Signal lxnteen



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1..

J. WALL.

SIGNAL LANTERN.- No. 485,071. Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. WALL.

SIGNAL LANTERN.

Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

III Illa UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

JOSEPH WVALL, OF SEAFORTI-I, ENGLAND.

SIGNAL-LANTERN.

$PEGIFICA1ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,071, dated October 25, 1892.

Application filed November 18, 1891. Serial No. 412,295. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WALL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Seaforth, Lancashire, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signal-Lanterns; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention relates to marine signaling and to a signal-lantern, which I term the lampograph, adapted for hand-signaling and also for convenient operation whenhoisted beyond the reach of the hand, the signals in either case being made by a succession of flashes of varying length and at intervals of varying duration, according to any suitable system. The lantern is also adapted for use as a towing and stern or after light of towboats; also, as a masthead or anchor-light of vessels and as a light for pilot and fishing boats. e

A lamp or lantern according to this invention comprises certain features of construction whereby the light can be focused in any desired direction or flashedsimultaneously to all parts of the horizon, means of giving access to the interior of the lantern and for adjusting the wick without requiring the use of a door, arrangement of the operating mechanism of the lantern, and means for improving and simplifying the construction and operation of the lantern, as hereinafter set forth.

The lantern has an upper and a lower casing with a cylindrical or all-round lens between and contains an apparatus consisting, mainly, of a lamp, vertical guides, on which slides up and down an opaque screen made in two sections, said screen being made to surround the light of the lamp or to act as a reflector, means of operating the screen from the signaling can be effected by flashes of light in one desired direction or in all directions simultaneously.

The lamp can be used as a towing or like light by keeping one portion of the screen in a raised position.

In the annexed drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is an outside elevation of a lantern comprising the improvements according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the lantern, showing the interior arrangements. Fig. 3 is a plan of the lampscreen.

WVith reference to the drawings, a designates the lens of the lantern. The lens a is held between an upper casing 12 and a lower casing b, connected by outside stays b 0 is an inner casing made of size to pass through the lens a. This casingcis connected by vertical stays at to the cover e, which is made to fit on the top of the casing 19 and carries the chimney e. The cover eis provided with hinged clamps f to secure it to the easing b. The clamps hinge over staples f on the casing 11 and are secured by pins or other suitable means.

g designates the oil-vessel of the lamp, it being carried in the casing c. h is the burner, which is of tubular form, havinga tubular wick placed over a central air-supply tube h and raised and lowered by a pin running in a spiral groove in said tube and actuated by turning the flange 7L2 of the burner in the manner known in connection with this type of burner.

71 designates the screen for eclipsing and exposing the light. This screen is spherical and is made in two parts, and its back portion is adapted to allow the beam of light issuing through the lens to be equal in radius to twenty points of the horizon. The screen is provided with rings or sleeves 2' which run on the stays d, which serve as guides for the screen. These may be hollow and adapted to serve as air-tubes for supplying cool air through apertures 61' therein to the upper portion of the lantern. The screen is workedthat is, raised and loweredby means of the rods jj, one rod being connected to each section of the screen. These rods j j pass up through the cover e, their upper ends being provided with bosses 7 by means of which the parts or sections of the screen may be Worked independently.

3' is a horizontal rod which is passed through the bosses j of the rods jj to connect them. When it is desired to work the Whole screen i-namely, both sections at the same time a linej is attached to the rod 7' for working the screen. The chimney e is divided to allow the rod j to work up and down. The rods j j work through tubes Z, fitted on the cover 6. Chains or cords may, if desired, be substituted for the rods or for portions of the rods jj'. is provided with a set-screw j at each side, the inner end of which is adapted to fit into a hole in the case when it is desired to make the handle fixed with respect to the case.

Rings or eyes are provided in the handle for attaching a yoke: o for suspending the lamp.

The lower portion of the lanternecasin g: b is: provided with holes, for supplying air to the burner, and the casingcis also perforated for the same purpose. The casing crests on a flange round the bottom of the-casing b, being held by lugs b and the oil-vessel g: is held in: the casing c by segmental flanges: c".

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the interior apparatus of the lantern can he removed from the outer casings and lens: for removing the lamp, and other purposes; also, that the screen can. be Worked in sections or asa whole. The inside surface of the screen 6 is-covered with quicksilver or its v equivalent, so-as to act as a reflector which actswhen the screen is worked in sections.

Vhen using the lantern, signals by flashes of light can be made in one direction by raising and lowering one half or section of the screen-:1 by means of its rod and knobj or flashes of light can be given in an all-round direction by detaching the rodij raising and lowering the whole screen i by the rods j and rods j; j together, and signals can be flashed toall points simultaneously. When the lan tern is-hoisted in a ships rigging, the screen is-workedi the line 3' rove through a sheave p and led to the deck. q designates lines which are suitably connected to the ship and a part of the rigging and by which the lamp isguided, said lamp passing through nipples g. on the lamp. Nhen the lantern is held in thehand of the user, the screen is worked by hand.

The lantern is mainly to beused for signaling atnightby flash-signals, any suitable code being used and the code, which may be any known code, may be illustrated on the guard e on the chimney e. For example, the code may'b'ethat set forth in the specification of aformer patent granted to me, No. 409,532, the signals being given by long and short flashesof light.

The handle k is pivoted at 91., but

In addition to its use for signaling, the

' lantern may be used for exhibiting an ordinary fixed light, such as a tow-light or an anchor-light. In the former case one section of the screen is held up by a line while a vessel is in tow and can be eclipsed from the deck without lowering the lantern when the vessel is cast oft, and at the same time ,the lantern is always in position ready to flash signals, if requiredfor example, when used as a pilots or fishing boats mast-head light.

What I claim'in respect of the herein-described invention is- 1. In a lantern for signaling, the combination,with an outer casing havinga lens, a lamp within said casing, and an opaque exposing and obscuring screen composed of two or more parts, of vertical rodsconn'e'cted with said screen, and a. horizontal rod con-- meeting said vertical rods, whereby all the parts of said screen may be raised and lowered simultaneously, substantially as described. V V

2. In a lantern for signaling, the combi-na tion, with an outer casing having a. lens, a lamp within said casing, and anoqaque exposing and obscuring screen composed of two: or more parts, of vertical rodsconnected with said screen, and a removable-horizontal rod connecting said vertical rods, whereby all the parts of said screen may be raised and lowered simultaneously or independentl'y, substantially as described. 7 3. liralantern for signal ing,thecombina tion, with an outer casing having a lens and a removable cover, of an inner casing, rods CZ, connecting said inner casing to said removable cover, a lampwithin said inner casing, a-divid'ed screen forsaidlamp, vertical rods j j connected with said divided screen and sliding on the-rods d, and a cord or rope connected with the rods j j", substantially as described.

at. The combination, with a casing 11, of a removable cover 6, and handle is, pivoted at n, and fixing-screws 7' substantially as set forth.

5. Ina lantern for'signaling, the combination of a lamp and an exposing and obscuring screen of spherical form and'of' two-parts, the division of the screen being'in the vertical plane and the back screen adapted to allow a beam of light to' pass through the lens equal in radius to twenty points of the horizon, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH WALL. 

